WIP Painting Andy's Cossack Bust (AC Models, 1:12)

[Martin Antonenko]

Thank You for Your kind words, Rafael!

Cheers

 

[housecarl]

Excellent work on the gun cord Martin.
Carl.

 

[Martin Antonenko]

Also to You many thanks Carl! I am glad very much that you like it.

All the best to You!

 

[Martin Antonenko]

47. Day, 6. February 2012

Our Kuban-Cossack carries a special cape in red colour on his back.

This special piece was called "Bashlyk" and I will still come back exactly to it if I paint the detail.

For the moment, however, it is enough to know that this cape with an other thin cord also tied around the neck was carried.

On all photos I have, this cord is shown black, namely monotony, whether the picture from the First World War …

… to the second world war namely all the same, whether on German or Soviet side …

… or from our time comes …:

Where the ends of this cord have to go there, Andy has defined very kindly by suitable holes …:

Today this cord is copied, again from solder-wire. The "wire" fits from the diameter exactly!

The method for fastening is that resembles, how already last week described…:

… and afterwards bend, suitably trim and fasten …:

In the neck the thing does not lie close by hundred percent, sonder stands still a little bit high what should make easier tomorrow the painting to me.

So much for today.

 

[Ferris]

Brilliantly detailed work from you and Andy!
Very nice to follow.

(I keep being intrigued by your 'patchwise painting approach' Martin....

Cheers,
Adrian

 

[Martin Antonenko]

Many thanks Adrian - and I say this especially in the name of Andy who has performed the main work with his great sculpting.

To work with such an exact sculptor for me was the pure pleasure.

-------------------------------------

And then a few more words to the Mauser gun model 1896 because in an other forum was asked for it:

The Mauser was one of the noteworthiest weapons which were ever built!

The thing was absolutely indestructible - it still shot if one had dragged it before by the mud.

The weapon had a 10-cartridges magazine and with it a higher shot result than most other guns and revolvers and one it could load with very fast, because with loading stripe was made....:

However, the chief attraction was the halter: It was of wood (sometimes with, sometimes without leather cover) and for opening, so that the weapon put almost completely protected in weather and widely cold-in isolation in it.

And with a few few handles the halter in the piston of the weapon can be fastened, so that one got a "gun".

In view of the relatively long run and the high VO of the weapon ("VauNull" calls the speed at which the cartridge leaves the run) it shot quite far - and with the piston on it also very exactly.

 

[Martin Antonenko]

48. Day, 7. February 2012

The cord is painted. Then I have bent into shape them a little bit asymmetrical.

Comes well, I think …

 

[Edorta]

Hi Martin. Your work is becoming a real Cossackopedia. Your SBS is very funny to follow and at this moment, this thread is the most complete documental refference about cossacks that I know.

http://www.mininet.tv/egminiatures.html

 

[Martin Antonenko]

Thanks that you say this, Eduardo!

I collect EVERYTHING about the Cossacks for more than 15 years what I can get - nevertheless, one more amount of work is in the documentation for the bust.

But I can say it only once more:

Without such an exact sculptor like Andy, who has made those details really exact, the whole work would not have been worthwhile.

I am sure that there is at the market no Cossack's bust which shows a similar fullness of nice details.

Cheers

 

[Martin Antonenko]

49. Day, 8. February 2012

Today the second breast page and the left sleeve are painted.

With this black painting I must force myself time after time properly not to paint the lights too brightly. On the photos they look a little darker than I see them really before myself.

On the shoulder about the order there comes a light, around the orders even around I use exclusively pure black.

Behind I had to find out again that this "black" is to be taken a photo damn hard – especially with the outdoors ruling "grey-in-grey-light" …:

---------------------------------------------

By the way:
Now Andy Cairns, the creator of this bust has his own website...:

http:// www.acmodels.co.nz

 

[Martin Antonenko]

50. Day, 9. February 2012

Every military unit in tsarist Russia had his own badge or coat of arms!

Of course this was also valid for eleven different Cossack's armies, under it the two Caucasian Cossack's armies.

The badge of the Kuban-Cossacks looked like this…:

… and the one of the Terek Cossacks like this …:

The coats of arms became (and today becomes again!) with pleasure as a badge to the uniform put. Here the original of such a badge of the Kuban-Cossacks …:

This detail may not be absent of course the bust of a Kuban-Cossack – and Andy with his magic fingers has also created this tiny detail. Our friend carries it proudly on the breast!

I have painted this badge today …:

Then from tomorrow an other very awkward painting stage begins:

I will start to paint the orders during the next days which our hero carries.

Of course it will be also worked there according to historical models!

Besides, I will introduce the originals and explain – and I hope to paint well these tiny details which Andy has modeled so brilliantly.

Since this will become (after the face) one the "first eye-catcher-place" of the bust …

 

[Martin Antonenko]

51. Day, 10. February 2012

After I have painted yesterday the badge of the Kuban-Cossacks, now we come to the orders which Andy has modeled in the bust.

Also moreover beforehand a small introduction:

Since the reign of the czar Piotr Aleksandrowitsch Welikij (Peter I, „the Great“) from 1682 to 1721, the the military or civilian people in the Russian state service – monotony whether! – in a certain rank class arranged.

This rank table – Russian „Табель о рангах“, spoken „Tabel' o rangach“ - regulated the careers in the state management and with court as well as the careers as an officer in the military and navy in 14 rank classes.

The czar introduced the word "Rank", by the way, from German.

Here such a table …:

In his respective rank class the person was caught, so to speak, because he got only the offices, ranks, property, privileges and honourings which corresponded to his rank.

Climb up in the afterwards higher rank class – and with it to more privileges and incomes – one was able only by special salaries.

For the actual rise by far more importantly, however, was protection!

Since somebody had to recognise the respective salaries and provide for the fact that this „higher place“ were taken note and also were appreciated accordingly!

This rank class system was valid up to the October revolution in 1917.

Thought originally as a best selection, the rank system with the years neglected to a farce, because it promoted favoritism and salivary delicacy and punished independent mind and own opinion.

Who struck not badly, rose without fail – just by the seniority! – on.
Besides, there were the finely spun and far branched "ropes" which helped themselves mutually further after upwards.

Who struck meanwhile by own, maybe too uncomfortable, too modern or too independent opinions and thoughts negatively, remained guaranteed disregarded.

Here lies one of the essential reasons for the catastrophic failure of the Russian generals and bureaucracy during the Russian-Japanese war (1904/05) and in the First World War!

I very exactly had to make clear this rank class background to myself when I suggested to Andy in last summer the orders which the bust should get.

And Andy has modeled these things not only absolutely precisely, he has still made easier the work something to the painter, while he has engraved some auxiliary lines on the order tapes …:

Our Kuban-Cossack belongs to the lowest officer's rank.

So he could carry only suitable the orders they of his class were accessible!

If we start with the order which covers – from the braid belt something – completely on the left is to be seen.

This is the Order of the Saint Georg (the patron saint of Russia), briefly „Georgs cross for officers“ called, a bravery honouring.

There was this Georges order for officers in different classes, our friend carries the lowest step to see the 4th class, an easy breast cross, in the next picture completely on the left …:

The order looks like this...:

The higher classes of this order – knight's cross, great cross, order star and shoulder tape - looked like this …:

However, we remain with the lowest step of this honouring which could be lent only to officers!

Here one more picture from my own collection …:

I have just painted this order.

For the typical yellow-orange black of the order tape I have taken these colours …:

And the order itself was painted with these colours …:

At the end the order cross received a finish with …:

And so it has become. The deep black background brings the order really nicely to the validity …:

A nice beginning, I think.

And with it: Nice week-end to You all!

 

[Edorta]

"A nice beginning, I think."

Sure. I can wait to see all the medals painted. It will be very nice.

http://www.mininet.tv/egminiatures.html

 

[Martin Antonenko]

Many thanks to You, Eduardo!

Next week I will paint the other ones...

Cheers

 

[Martin Antonenko]

52. Day, 13. February, 2012

If an officer owned several orders, they were mounted normally at the back with a steel needle together namely in such a way that the order ribbons were worn overlapping. Besides, half of the accompanying order tape was covered in each case.

So this this looked from the back…:

… and so from the front …:

Thus I had suggested it to Andy and he has copied it absolutely exactly!

The next order in the row of our hero is this here:

The „Order of the Holy Anna“, briefly „Saint Anna's order“ called …:

This was an order for civil salaries and also also for military, then – how now at the bust shown – with Swords.

Our friend also carries here the lowest step – the 4th class.

There was knight's cross (3rd class), great cross (2nd class) and star with shoulder tape (1st class) of course also …:

So far as everything is clearly.

But: A strange historical specific feature is still to be considered:

Actually, the order cross was red as one sees right here.

In the time in which it is here it was among officers – particularly with the guard! – to let alter a very much widespread "fashion" (or bad habit), the orders if one had got him then.

Then the red surfaces were anew enamelled in many cases (or with semiprecious stones laid out), so that the red cross seemed now almost black, how in the next picture …:

Now the Painter has – what is with orders very seldom – several options:

However, black I did not want to have it because the thing would be hardly to be seen then on the black Tscherkesska.

On the other hand, I wanted to consider this specific feature absolutely and oriented me in colour in this model…:

I have painted the light-red order tape first with these colours …:

Afterwards I have painted the order even according to my model shown on top and I have taken these colours …:

And once more some finish with …

And now it looks like this…:

 

[Edorta]

It is a very skillful detail, simulate with varnish, gloss enamel.

http://www.mininet.tv/egminiatures.html

 

[Martin Antonenko]

THANKS Eduardo!

Cheers

 

[Martin Antonenko]

53. Day, 14. February 2012

Now there comes the next of the orders in the row which I had suggested to Andy:

The „Order of the Holy Vladimir“ …:

There was also this order without swords (for civilians) …

…and with swords (for officers).:

Our Cossack carries – according to his rank – the lowest class of the order again...:

The higher classes lokked like this...:

Also with this order there was the strange "fashion" to let alter him black...:

Of the painter has again several options!

(Before I have got out with this "fashion", I have become almost mad by the search which colours the order had then now really!)

However, I want him light-red!

For the order ribbon I have taken these colours …:

For the order-cross even those…:

Of course there also was here a finish with …:

And so it has become …:

And then tomorrow you see the last and most difficult part of the order painting …

 

[sam b]

Really enjoying this Martin

 

[Martin Antonenko]

I thank you warmly, Sam! This pleases me very much!

Cheers